Environmental Issues & Pollution Ancient Rome -thousands of smoky fires for cooking and heating burning daily. -Cheese-making manufacturers starting being built in a location where the wood smoke wouldn't affect other buildings: so citizens would not to be exposed to excessive(unhealthy) air pollution. -highly toxic metal: Made up water pipes, bathtubs and wine. -Plebes were not exposed to the dangers of lead mining and smelting instead slaves ran most mines and smelters. -Plutarch said only criminal slaves be exposed to the conditions found in lead mines and refineries. -Mediterranean basin had a lot of deforested happening by CE. Romans required huge quantities of timber for mining, and heating, as well as for construction and the production of iron and other metals. -After conquered North Africa was stripped of its trees and produced lots of grain. -Local water pollution and air pollution caused by mining and smelting. -Lead production caused pollution on a wider scale.-Many wealthy brought water through lead pipes. -Aqueducts cleaned water but people thought lead cleaned better. -The blood from gladiator fights and death probable spread disease. -People who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today. -Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency of the general public. -wood was used for cooking, heating homes, buildings, and even the original Colosseum and the Romans got all the wood from cutting down many trees causing deforestation. - Sewage would pile up in the streets because people just would throw it out the window. -blood from the gladiator fights blood flowed into the streets. -Water was taken from the river and used in cooking, cleaning, and drinking so many people got sick. - Animals were grazing too much causing over grazing. -miners place explosives along ridges to access coal seams hidden underground. Bulldozers push rubble into adjacent depressions, often filling valley streams with contaminants that were previously held in the soil - a result known as a "valley fill." Present Day -One of the main pollutants now is car exhaust. -Cincinnati’s particle pollution level has dropped greatly since 2000. -In 2004 Cincinnati was ranked 2nd place nation wide for worst fine particles or soot pollution. -Cincinnati was ranked 18th for worst place for ozone levels between 2006 and 2008. -Power plants in Cincinnati are the major contributor to pollution. -Cincinnati area power power plant emissions have increased dramatically. -Cinergy in Cincinnati is one of the biggest polluters in the Midwest. -Carbon dioxide is one of the major pollutants in the atmosphere. -New water pollution rules for the controversial coal mining practice known as mountaintop removal this process is mostly happing in Appalachian region in the east. -Salt content that indicates the amount of dissolved toxic solids that float downstream Solutions -Cincinnati water works use concrete and ductile iron pipes to transport water and ancient Rome made concrete so it would be a easy source to access. -Better ventilation in homes, like air vents to keep air moving and clean air in the homes so people do not get lung promplems . -Cleaner sources of heat (Not wood or coal)
Solutions
-The Process of fracking can get heat to houses easily and give jobs, and cut the amount of wood needed. -Instead of throwing waste out the window and into rivers, waste could be used as a fertilizer. Fertilizer gives plants a boast to grow healthier and bigger
Citations "Environmental Issues in Ancient Rome - LiveBinder." Environmental Issues in Ancient Rome - LiveBinder. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013.
"Fall of the Roman Empire." Rome.info , Decline of Ancient Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.
Email: s.mosley@leedsmet.ac.uk
Research interests are environmental history and the history of pollution and public health.
Dear, Dr. Stephan Mosley
Hi, my name is Jane Armstrong from Nagel Middle School in Cincinnati Ohio. I am doing a project about Ancient Romes environmental issues and pollution. I have read a artical of yours and was hoping you could answer a few questions?
Because of ancient Romes polluted air was this the first time damage was done to the ozone layer?
A lot of deforestation happened in ancient Rome so there was a lot of empty land, based upon your expertise, what would happen to the land that was left? Could the land still be used to plant more trees or other crops?
The main cause of Roman pollution was that they were constantly emitted smoke into the environment. Considering this was 1800 years ago, do you know of any preventative measures they could have used when burning wood for heat and coal in their work spaces?
http://prezi.com/h3cuoxxj6nb5/edit/#0
Environmental Issues & Pollution
Ancient Rome
-thousands of smoky fires for cooking and heating burning daily.
-Cheese-making manufacturers starting being built in a location where the wood smoke wouldn't affect other buildings: so citizens would not to be exposed to excessive(unhealthy) air pollution.
-highly toxic metal: Made up water pipes, bathtubs and wine.
-Plebes were not exposed to the dangers of lead mining and smelting instead slaves ran most mines and smelters.
-Plutarch said only criminal slaves be exposed to the conditions found in lead mines and refineries.
-Mediterranean basin had a lot of deforested happening by CE. Romans required huge quantities of timber for mining, and heating, as well as for construction and the production of iron and other metals.
-After conquered North Africa was stripped of its trees and produced lots of grain.
-Local water pollution and air pollution caused by mining and smelting.
-Lead production caused pollution on a wider scale.-Many wealthy brought water through lead pipes.
-Aqueducts cleaned water but people thought lead cleaned better.
-The blood from gladiator fights and death probable spread disease.
-People who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today.
-Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency of the general public.
-wood was used for cooking, heating homes, buildings, and even the original Colosseum and the Romans got all the wood from cutting down many trees causing deforestation.
- Sewage would pile up in the streets because people just would throw it out the window.
-blood from the gladiator fights blood flowed into the streets.
-Water was taken from the river and used in cooking, cleaning, and drinking so many people got sick.
- Animals were grazing too much causing over grazing.
-miners place explosives along ridges to access coal seams hidden underground. Bulldozers push rubble into adjacent depressions, often filling valley streams with contaminants that were previously held in the soil - a result known as a "valley fill."
Present Day
-One of the main pollutants now is car exhaust.
-Cincinnati’s particle pollution level has dropped greatly since 2000.
-In 2004 Cincinnati was ranked 2nd place nation wide for worst fine particles or soot pollution.
-Cincinnati was ranked 18th for worst place for ozone levels between 2006 and 2008.
-Power plants in Cincinnati are the major contributor to pollution.
-Cincinnati area power power plant emissions have increased dramatically.
-Cinergy in Cincinnati is one of the biggest polluters in the Midwest.
-Carbon dioxide is one of the major pollutants in the atmosphere.
-New water pollution rules for the controversial coal mining practice known as mountaintop removal this process is mostly happing in Appalachian region in the east.
-Salt content that indicates the amount of dissolved toxic solids that float downstream
Solutions
-Cincinnati water works use concrete and ductile iron pipes to transport water and ancient Rome made concrete so it would be a easy source to access.
-Better ventilation in homes, like air vents to keep air moving and clean air in the homes so people do not get lung promplems .
-Cleaner sources of heat (Not wood or coal)
Solutions
-The Process of fracking can get heat to houses easily and give jobs, and cut the amount of wood needed.-Instead of throwing waste out the window and into rivers, waste could be used as a fertilizer. Fertilizer gives plants a boast to grow healthier and bigger
Citations
"Environmental Issues in Ancient Rome - LiveBinder." Environmental Issues in Ancient Rome - LiveBinder. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013.
"Fall of the Roman Empire." Rome.info , Decline of Ancient Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.
"MNN - Mother Nature Network." MNN - Mother Nature Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.
Contacts
Dr. Stephan Mosley
Email: s.mosley@leedsmet.ac.uk
Research interests are environmental history and the history of pollution and public health.
Dear, Dr. Stephan Mosley
Hi, my name is Jane Armstrong from Nagel Middle School in Cincinnati Ohio. I am doing a project about Ancient Romes environmental issues and pollution. I have read a artical of yours
and was hoping you could answer a few questions?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jane Armstrong
No response